A Well-Deserved Reputation

The longest-running Congress in Palliative Care and the leading event in the field since 1976.

A unique opportunity to meet, share experiences and exchange ideas with colleagues from 60 countries, representing all disciplines – nurses, physicians, social workers, physical and occupational therapists, music therapists, pharmacists, psychologists, pastoral care providers, administrators, volunteers...

In-depth workshops and seminars covering all aspects of end-of-life care, from the most current scientific developments in pain and symptom control to the large existential questions, to hands-on experiential sessions addressing practical issues faced every day.

Renowned speakers that deepen your understanding, and inspire you to renew your commitment to palliative care.

All session structured to allow ample time for dialogue, questions and thoughtful interaction.

The Organizers



The 20th International Congress on Palliative Care is presented by:

Palliative Care McGill (PCM) has been at the fore of advances in palliative care: integrating PC into health care systems; developing the McGill Quality of Life questionnaire; promoting a whole-person approach to care; pioneering undergraduate and postgraduate training in palliative medicine; developing new ways to manage pain and other symptoms; and hosting the International Congress on Palliative Care. Today, under the direction of Dr. Bernard Lapointe, PCM continues to develop as an exceptional academic program and unique network of PC services.

In collaboration with:


Specialists in conference, exhibit and special event management since 1991, O’Donoughue & Associates Event Management Ltd. is recognized in the industry as one of the leading event management companies in Québec. The company handles everything from planning to on-site management. Over the past twenty four years, the company has grown steadily, organizing hundreds of events, from small personalized meetings to large-scale international conferences, as well as festivals and concerts; and in doing so has acquired a reputation for excellence. Since 2005, O’Donoughue has been organizing the International Congress on Palliative Care.

Executive Committee

Bernard J. Lapointe, Congress Chair

The Eric M. Flanders Chair in Palliative Medicine, Director, Palliative Care McGill, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada

Vasiliki Bitzas

Head Nurse, Palliative Care, Jewish General Hospital, Montréal, QC, Canada

Linda Crelinsten

Assistant Director, Arnold and Blema Steinberg Medical Simulation Centre, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada

Robin Cohen

Director of Research, Palliative Care McGill, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada

Kappy Flanders

Co-Chair, Council on Palliative Care, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada

Mary Ellen Macdonald

Associate Professor, Faculty of Dentistry, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada

Christopher MacKinnon

Psychologist, Palliative Care, McGill University Health Centre, Montréal, QC, Canada

April O’Donoughue

President, O’Donoughue & Associates Event Management Ltd., Montréal, QC, Canada

Devon Phillips

Program Advisor, Palliative Care McGill, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada

Programme Committee

Carla Alexander

University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD, USA

Hitesh Bhanabhai

Centre universitaire de santé McGill , Montréal, QC, Canada

Maryse Bouvette

Bruyère Continuing Care, Ottawa, ON, Canada

Franco Carnevale

Montréal Children‘s Hospital, Montréal, QC, Canada

Harvey Chang

Jewish General Hospital, Montréal, QC, Canada

Teresa Dellar

West Island Palliative Care Residence, Montréal, QC, Canada

James Downar

University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada

Justine Farley

St. Mary’s Hospital, Montréal, QC, Canada

Hinda Goodman

Hope & Cope, Montréal, QC, Canada

Marc Hamel

Centre universitaire de santé McGill , Montréal, QC, Canada

David Henderson

Colchester-East Hants Palliative Care Program, Truro, NS, Canada

Leonie Herx

University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada

Cory Ingram

Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA

R. Sean Morrison

Mount Sinai Icahn School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA

Elena Neamt

West Island Palliative Care Residence, Montréal, QC, Canada

Suzanne O’Brien

Hope and Cope, Montréal, QC, Canada

Bonica Orng

Centre universitaire de santé McGill , Montréal, QC, Canada

Deborah Salmon

Centre universitaire de santé McGill , Montréal, QC, Canada

Antonio Vigano

Centre universitaire de santé McGill , Montréal, QC, Canada

David Wright

University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada

Jean Zigby

Jewish General Hospital, Montréal, QC, Canada

Senior Advisory Committee

Sharon Baxter

Executive Director, Canadian Hospice Palliative Care Association, Ottawa, ON, Canada

Myra Bluebond Langner

Professor and True Colours Chair in Palliative Care for Children and Young People, University College London, Institute of Child Health, London, United Kingdom

Gian Borasio

Professor and Chair in Palliative Medicine, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland

Ira Byock

Chief Medical Officer, Institute for Human Caring, Providence Health and Services, Torrance, CA United States

Susan Cadell

Professor and Director, School of Social Work, Renison University College, Waterloo, ON, Canada

Harvey Chochinov

Director, Manitoba Palliative Care Research Unit, CancerCare Manitoba; University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada

Mellar Davis

Professor of Medicine, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, United States

Liliana de Lima

Executive Director, International Association for Hospice and Palliative Care, Houston, TX, United States

Luce Des Aulniers

Anthropologist, Faculté de communication et Études interdisciplinaires sur la mort, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada

Deborah Dudgeon

Senior Scientific Leader, Canadian Partnership Against Cancer (CPAC), Kingston, ON, Canada

Betty Ferrell

Professor and Director, Nursing Research and Education, City of Hope, Duarte, CA, United States

Kathleen Foley

Attending Neurologist, Pain and Palliative Care Services, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, United States

Irene Higginson

Head, Department of Palliative Care, Policy & Rehabilitation, King's College London, London, United Kingdom

Neil Macdonald

Professor of Oncology and Medicine, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada

Tom Hutchinson

Director, McGill Programs in Whole Person Care, Montréal, QC, Canada

Stephen Liben

Director, Palliative Care Program, The Montreal Children's Hospital, Montréal, QC, Canada

Vincent Morel

Président, Société Française d’Accompagnement et de Soins Palliatifs, Rennes, France

Balfour Mount

Emeritus Professor of Palliative Medicine, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada

David Praill

Former Chief Executive, Help the Hospices, London, United Kingdom

Gary Rodin

Head, Psychosocial Oncology and Palliative Care, Princess Margaret Hospital, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada

Anna Towers

Associate Professor, Department of Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada


Congress Logo: The Hummingbird

The hummingbird has, in Native American traditions, represented a messenger between worlds, helping to maintain balance between nature and spirit.

This tiny bird appears in Native lore as a creature that opens the heart and teaches us to appreciate the magic of being alive. The hummingbird helps us awaken to the beauty of the present moment.